May 17 is the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT). On that day in 1990, the World Health Organization decided to remove homosexuality from the internationally used list of diseases. This year IDAHOT focuses on Justice and protection for all.

An international campaign for women's and girls' rights, a partnership with the private sector on sustainable chocolate, hackathons in the South and innovation in humanitarian aid. These are a few highlights of the 2018 annual report of the Belgian Development Cooperation published today.

Didier Reynders, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs and Minister of Defence, mandated Ambassador Renier Nijskens, Special Envoy for the Great Lake region, and Major General Philippe Boucké, Deputy Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Defence, to undertake a mission to Kinshasa from the 12th to the 15th of May 2019.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defense Didier Reynders is pleased with the Opinion of the European Court of Justice on the compatibility of the Investment Court System (ICS) with the European Treaties. ICS is the reformed system of dispute settlement between states and investors. It is part of the EU-Canada Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). With its Opinion, the Court dismisses the remaining legal concerns.

Today, the Inter-Ministerial Commission of Humanitarian Law, the Belgian Red Cross and the International Committee of the Red Cross organize the Conference: “War in cities: Searching for practical solutions to the contemporary challenges”, in collaboration with the Belgian Society for International Law. During his speech, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Defense Didier Reynders will insist that countries further strengthen their commitment to the protection of civilians in city wars and the respect for international humanitarian law.

The undersigned members of the Equal Rights Coalition (ERC) express profound dismay at the decision of Brunei to fully implement its revised Penal Code. As part of the full implementation which became effective on April 3, 2019, provisions have been introduced prescribing a range of penalties including amputation of limbs, whipping and stoning to death for specific acts identified as offences in the Code. The acts that are punishable by means of these penalties include robbery, rape, adultery and engaging in same-sex sexual conduct.

Today, the Council of Ministers gave its green light for the new country programs for Senegal and Rwanda, two partner countries of the Belgian development cooperation. The new country programs focus strongly on entrepreneurship, the development of a local private sector and the promotion of the sexual and reproductive rights and the health of girls and women.

Didier Reynders, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Defense, will travel to Washington today and tomorrow to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty. Minister Reynders will also take part in a meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers dedicated to the challenges facing the Alliance today.